How to get better without a chess coach

Adding to paulgottlieb's excellent suggestions => If you have a good chess club within your city/town, visit it often, challenge all strong players regularly (try to get a game with them) and play local tournaments OFTEN! In most cities, you often find good players who literally give you free lessons when you ask them to post-mortem review/go over a game you played with them.

I've always noticed that when we start out, we more often pay attention and remember the things we should NOT be doing ... and less on what we should be doing. That's why sponging from players at clubs works so well :)

Try my free video lessons course. I explain how I became a NM by picking out what worked best for me to maximize your time invested. Lesson001 lays out the basics, my other videos reinforce everything...I sent you a group invlte, to my video lessons group but you aren't accepting them. (We have over 1,000 members, biggest and best coaching group on site. Plenty of resources in group forums.) Click my profile, see the "about me" tab for my homepage with the videos and group link. Save your money, learn what to study most and what to wait on.